The present invention generally relates to devices and methods useful in maintaining cerebral perfusion during global or focal cerebral ischemia. More specifically, the devices and methods provide effective retrograde perfusion to the cerebral circulation through the superior vena cava or the internal jugular veins. Retrograde venous perfusion may be used with hypothermia to provide isolated cerebral cooling. The devices and methods are also useful in improving perfusion to other peripheral organs besides the brain.
Cerebral ischemia refers to cessation or reduction of blood flow to the cerebral tissues. Cerebral ischmia can be characterized as either global or hemispherical. Hemispherical or focal ischemia refers to cessation or reduction of blood flow within the cerebral vasculature resulting from a partial or complete occlusion in the intracranial or extracranial cerebral arteries. Global ischemia refers to cessation or reduction of blood flow within the cerebral vasculature resulting from systemic circulatory failure from various causes, including aortic surgery, cardiac arrest, shock, and trauma. Circulatory arrest is often required in performing surgeries on the aorta, e.g., aneurysm repair, aortic dissection, endarterectomy of aortic atheroma, and aortic stenting. Blood flow through the aorta is often interrupted due to opening of the aorta for these surgical procedures. Cessation of systemic circulation therefore places a patient at great risk, particularly in the cerebral vasculature where ischemia can rapidly lead to irreversible neurologic damage.
Various techniques have been proposed to improve cerebral perfusion in a patient suffering from either global or focal ischemia. For example, conventional cardiopulmonary bypass is used during cardiovascular surgeries to maintain perfusion to peripheral organs during cardiac arrest. However, cardiopulmonary bypass is generally not useful when the aorta fails to remain intact during aortic surgeries. Retrograde aortic perfusion (RAP) has been proposed to improve cerebral perfusion by clamping the ascending aorta and perfusing the aorta in a retrograde direction through a peripheral arterial access, typically the femoral artery. Disadvantages associated with retrograde aortic perfusion include significant cerebral embolization from dislodgment of atheromatous material in the descending aorta and the aortic arch. Moreover, RAP is not useful for aortic procedures distal or proximal to a limited surgical region of the aorta.
Another technique for protecting the brain during global or focal ischemia is provided by hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA). HCA is achieved by inducing marked systemic hypothermia prior to cessation or reduction of systemic circulation. There are several disadvantages associated the HCA. For example, during cardiac arrest from cardiac arrhythmia or aortic surgeries, the systemic circulation remains stopped, thereby placing the patient at significant risk of ischemia despite utilizing hypothermia. Moreover, HCA has been associated with systemic coagulopathy, typically disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. Therefore, aortic surgery performed with HCA is associated with relatively high mortality (approximately 20 percent).
Another proposed technique for cerebral perfusion is referred to as selective antegrade cerebral perfusion (SCP). SCP is achieved by introducing a catheter through the aorta into a carotid artery to perfuse the cerebral vasculature. However, cerebral embolization can occur from introduction of the catheter which can dislodge atheromatous material, often present at the take-off from the aorta. Cerebral embolization can also occur from dislodgment of atheromatous material by clamping or snaring of the carotid artery. Air embolization can also occur from insertion of the catheter in the aorta or the carotid artery.
Another technique for improving cerebral perfusion is provided by retrograde cerebral venous perfusion (RCP), which is achieved by clamping the inferior vena cava and introducing oxygenated blood through a catheter inserted in the superior vena cava. Flow is established in a retrograde direction up the vena cava into the brachial and jugular veins. However, there are several disadvantages associated with using the RCP. For example, a majority (approximately 80%) of the oxygenated blood will run off into the arms and/or the heart and lungs, with as little as 20% of the blood entering the brain. Secondly, valves in the jugular veins may obstruct blood flow into the intracranial venous system. The blood can flow outwardly through the extensive collateral circulation without perfusing the brain. The amount of blood returned to the aorta from the carotid arteries represents no more than approximately 5% of the blood initially introduced to the superior vena cava. Thirdly, such retrograde perfusion often results in an increase in cerebral pressure which further inhibits blood inflow. Arterial efflux to the cerebral vasculature is found by the inventor to disappear after 20 minutes. Therefore, during RCP, the venous flow rates and pressures required to achieve and maintain significant arterial efflux are highly variable.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide improved devices and methods for protecting the brain and cerebral vasculature of patients suffering from global or focal ischemia, without the risk of cerebral embolization or systemic side effects.
The present invention provides devices and methods for improving cerebral perfusion in patients suffering from focal or global ischemia. More specifically, the devices and methods provide oxygenated blood flow to the brain using retrograde venous perfusion, which can be used in conjunction with hypothermia. In one embodiment, the medical device comprises a catheter which includes an elongate tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and first and second lumens. The first lumen communicates with the proximal end and an infusion port at the distal end of the catheter. The second lumen communicates with the proximal end of the catheter and a drainage port proximal to the infusion port. In certain embodiments, the second lumen communicates with a plurality of drainage ports. An expandable occluder, which may be an elastomeric balloon in certain embodiments, is mounted on a distal region of the catheter between the infusion port and the drainage port. A manometer is mounted on the catheter distal to the occluder for measuring blood pressure distal to the occluder. The proximal end of the catheter is adapted for attachment to an oxygenator machine and/or a pump.
In another embodiment, the device comprises first and second catheters. Each of the two catheters has a lumen communicating with a proximal end and an infusion port at a distal end. An expandable occluder is mounted on a distal region of each of the catheters proximal to the infusion port. A manometer is mounted distal to each occluder. The first catheter and the second catheter are joined for a substantial length and are separated at their distal ends. In certain embodiments, the catheters are separated at their proximal ends. The proximal ends of the catheters are adapted for attachment to an oxygenator machine and/or a pump.
In still another embodiment, the device having two catheters described above may include a third lumen communicating with the proximal end of the catheter and a drainage port at its distal end. The drainage port is located proximal to the occluders. In certain embodiments, the third lumen communicates with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or any other number of drainage ports. The proximal end of the catheter is adapted for attachment to a pump and/or an oxygenator.
In a first method of using the devices, the distal end of the catheter is inserted through a peripheral vein, e.g., the femoral vein, into the vena cava. The distal region of the catheter and the occluder are positioned in the superior vena cava (SVC), and the occluder is expanded to isolate blood flow in the SVC. Deoxygenated blood is withdrawn from the drainage port(s) and passed through the second lumen and the proximal end of the catheter, which is connected to an oxygenator. The oxygenated blood or medium is then infused into the first lumen and through the infusion port of the catheter to perfuse the cerebral tissues through the SVC in a retrograde fashion, thereby obviating the need for IVC clamping and backflow of oxygenated blood into the right atrium and the lungs which occurs with existing methods for retrograde cerebral venous perfusion (RCP). Infusion of oxygenated blood may be facilitated by a pump connected to the oxygenator and the proximal end of the first lumen. The infusion rate of oxygenated blood can be varied according to the venous pressure recorded by the manometer, which is mounted distal to the occluder.
In still another embodiment, retrograde venous perfusion can be achieved by inserting the distal end of the catheter in the right or the left internal jugular vein. The occluder is expanded to occlude the internal jugular vein. Deoxygenated blood is withdrawn from the vena cava, oxygenated by an oxygenator, and returned to the internal jugular vein to perfuse the cerebral tissues in a retrograde direction through the lumen and infusion port of the catheter. By positioning the catheter in the internal jugular vein to minimize backflow of oxygenated blood to the arm instead of the SVC, and by positioning the occluder distal to the jugular venous valves to minimize obstruction of blood flow to the intracranial venous system, the infusion rate of oxygenated blood can be reduced. The jugular venous pressure (JVP) is often obtained indirectly by measurement of the pulmonary artery pressure from a Swan-Ganz catheter, which is commonly inserted in patients having aortic surgery or hemodynamic instability. The pulmonary artery pressure, however, often fails to reflect the JVP due to the presence of jugular vein valves. The manometer, which is mounted distal to the occluder in the internal jugular vein, will provide a more accurate measurement of the JVP.
In another method, deoxygenated blood withdrawn from the drainage port is passed through an oxygenator and a cooling system. The cooled oxygenated blood or medium is then infused through the first lumen and the distal port of the catheter to provide isolated hypothermic and retrograde venous perfusion to the brain. In this way, complication associated with systemic hypothermic perfusion, e.g., disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, is avoided.
In another method, after venous blood withdrawn from the SVC is passed through an oxygenator, the oxygenated blood is passed through a pump which connects with the proximal end of the first catheter and a proximal end of a second catheter. The second catheter has a lumen communicating with a distal end inserted through the femoral artery and positioned within the femoral artery, the iliac artery, or the descending aorta. In this way, oxygenated blood is delivered to the brain and the lower extremities and/or other vital organs, such as the kidneys. During aortic surgeries, the space available for instrumentation on the aorta, e.g., insertion of cannula for cardiopulmonary bypass, is often limited. The methods described above provide perfusion to the peripheral organs during cardiac arrest without the need for instrumentation on the aorta, and therefore provide a superior alternative to conventional cardiopulmonary bypass.
In still another embodiment, retrograde venous perfusion can be achieved by inserting the distal ends of the first and second catheters in the respective right and the left internal jugular veins. The occluders, which are mounted on the distal regions of the catheters and proximal to the infusion ports, are expanded to occlude the internal jugular veins. Deoxygenated blood can be withdrawn from the vena cava or a peripheral vein, e.g., the femoral vein or the subclavian vein, and oxygenated. Oxygenated blood is then delivered retrograde to the cerebral tissues through the infusion ports of the catheters positioned in the internal jugular veins. Optionally, the oxygenated blood can be cooled before infusing into the jugular veins to provide isolated hypothermic perfusion to the cerebral tissues.
It will be understood that there are several advantages in using the devices and methods disclosed herein for protecting the brain and cerebral vasculature of patients suffering from global or focal ischemia. For example, compared with known techniques for retrograde cerebral venous perfusion (RCP), the retrograde venous perfusion of the invention (1) minimizes backflow of blood to the heart and/or the arms, thereby allowing lower infusion rates to be used, (2) eliminates the need for IVC clamping, thereby minimizing damage to the IVC, (3) positions the catheters distal to the jugular venous valves, thereby minimizing obstruction of blood flow by the valves, (4) provides isolated cerebral hypothermic perfusion, (5) provides an accurate measurement of the jugular venous pressure, and (6) provides perfusion to the brain, the lower extremities, and other vital organs during cardiac arrest. In addition, significant cerebral embolization associated with retrograde aortic perfusion (RAP) and selective antegrade cerebral perfusion (SCP) is avoided using the venous retrograde perfusion disclosed herein.